Arlington resident Maria Robles knows well how the path to legalization is lined with red paper and delays. She’s been trying for 27 years to get legal status.

On Saturday, she’ll be sharing her story and her work as coordinator for Arlington Proyecto Unido, a human rights committee supported by the Border Network for Human Rights and the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance, at the Fort Worth Chorizo and Menudo Community Breakfast, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Nuevo Leon Restaurant, 1544 Ellis Ave.

“Next week, we’re joining the national effort to call our senators to tell them we want immigration reform with a path to citizenship,” she said. “That’s why we’re working to bring together nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations so that we can speak with one voice.”

RITA is planning to hold prayer vigils at Republican Sen. John Cornyn’s offices across Texas and to set up as many meetings as possible with congressional representatives.

One of the points they will stress is that, after thousands of extra Border Patrol agents and drones being deployed, the border is more secure than it ever has been.

“It’s an inefficient way to spend taxpayers’ money, and there’s no method of accountability when people get shot,” she said.

National studies have shown the number of illegal immigrants has decreased substantially, and more immigrants may now be leaving than coming in, according to the most recent study last year by the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center.

Robles acknowledges that many immigrants are desperate for legalization so they can travel back and forth to see their parents and siblings.

“They haven’t seen their family for years, so they don’t care about citizenship,” she said, adding that she understands their sentiments.

“But what about those of us who do?”

Robles cares. And her story may be more common than what the numbers reveal.

She came to the U.S. with her parents in 1979, when she was barely 4.

“In 1982, Dad dies, leaving Mom with three kids and pregnant, including two undocumented children — my sister and I — and two U.S. citizens, in a country she knows nothing about.”

At 11, she left the country to go back and take care of her dying grandfather. That would later be held against her when she applied for legal residency. One of the requirements is continuous residency over a period of time.

Her mother and sister got legal permanent residency, but she did not. Instead, she got temporary legal status.

At 19, she received a deportation order that was eventually suspended when she became eligible for the Family Unity Program through her mother.

Today, with help from the office of U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, she has a work authorization card.

The U.S. is her home, where she has studied and built a life and family.

In addition to her work with Proyecto Unido, she assists Proyecto Immigrante with its citizenship workshops, get-out-the-vote efforts and voter registration, and she coordinates mobile units for women’s health care.

Now, she is waiting until her oldest child turns 21, and she can apply again for permanent legal residency status.